Sainz: "P9, so we're happy"

Renault's Carlos Sainz Jr mustered a tidy ninth place in qualifying today, and the Spaniard is happy with that, as both Renaults made it to Q3 again.

The French team weren't best of the rest this time. Both Haas cars ended in front of the Renaults, and Romain Grosjean even ended up in front of Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo. Still, Renault can be happy with that result, as their consistency has been their main strength this year.

"Good qualification on our part, we improved with respect to the day on Friday.

"We were not Q3 team and finally we have been, but there's a difference with the Haas cars, who even beat one of the Red Bull cars."

On the Vettel incident, Sainz admitted that the whole incident didn't have any implications, as it happened in Q1 and didn't have many consequences.

"Yes, but in the end my qualification has not changed much, it has made me break a front spoiler that costs money in a team like this.

"You do not know if it will go well afterwards or not, but I think he has not influenced much, I think he has not seen me, they should not have warned him on the radio."

That's nice of him to say. The Spaniard has also out-qualified Nico Hülkenberg, his teammate, again, which is also a good sign from him. At the start of the season, Hulkenberg was beating Sainz every time, but now, he's showing his true potential, and the qualifying duel between him and Hülkenberg is getting closer by the week.